Hollows, Humans, and Romance
by Weeping Blood
Summary: Aizen has done an experiment on Ichigo, and now he's permanently a hollow, unless somewhere brings him back to his former self. Orihime has awoken in Hueco Mundo, and has lost her memory.


**Disclaimer: I often forget to include these in some of my stories, I do not own bleach!~~**

**Also, sorry this chapter is short. I just needed to get the introduction out of the way. Some more details will be explained in the next chapter. **

**So like, review if you like it... I guess. Then I'll be motivated to like update and stuff, if you don't review... I'll cry.**

* * *

With a groan, fingertips grasped the sandy substance beneath them. Silver orbs widened as she regained consciousness, quickly looking up from where her petite frame laid on the sandy ground. Scanning the strange enviroment, she noticed there was nothing but lifeless trees and a dark night sky. Sand covered the entire land, nothing but a giant palace was within distance.

''_How, How did I get here?''_ The auburn haired girl asked herself, not being able to remember the reason why she was in such a dreadful enviroment,

Her mind was a blurr, almost as if she had a hangover the night before, except she knew she wasn't allowed to drink at her age so that certainly wasn't the case. Standing on her own too feet, her balance was wobbly. Panting, she felt exhausted ; completely out of energy. The Inoue girl looked down ad noticed her ragged, dirty clothes. She wore a long white gown, along with a white cape outlined with black, her waist wore a black belt to contrast the entire outfit but the white was darkened by the stains. Taking several steps towards pretty much, nowhere, she just decided to give up and collasped back on the sand below her feet.

_Memory_, **gone**. _Questions_, **unanswered**. _Civillization_, **nowhere.**

Realizing it was some sort of particular desert, she wondered if there any sort of live plants she could quench her thirst from. Hunger emerged from her dissatisfied stomach. A chill of anxiety filled her body, worrying whether she'd be able to survive in such a place.

A startling scent, and feeling caught her attention. The revolting stench of blood, and the frightening pressure that forced her on the ground. Struggling to get up, she somehow managed and couldn't help but wonder what was causing such commotion. _Maybe,_ just maybe she'd be able to find out any infomation she was able to obtain. As the girl managed to wobbly walk to the source, she heard a piercing roar that caused her to rapidly beat from terror. Inhaling, then exhaling she found some courage to keep on moving. Even if she was to get killed, she'd probably die of starvation not moving at all either way. The closer the frightening pressure had gotten, she began to notice some strange caverns that seemed to look like an area where people might live at. She finally manage to assimilate some hope.

Before taking anymore baby steps, her body froze when a growl came from behind her figure. Turning her head, her eyes widened when she saw a creature grasping an entirely black blade that had a chain hanging from it's hilt, the creature's body was a pale shade of white, it wore a black and white mask with horns that just contrasted it's intimidating appearance. Hanging under it's mask was long, orange hair that blew with the desert breeze.

Backing away, she couldn't help but mumble to herself ''Just what in the world is that creature?''

Her eyebrows knitted together in worry, but the more she glanced over at it, she began getting strange images of a human boy in her mind. She was frightened, yet the creature did not attack, it just stood there. Not helping the urge to stare at it's hole in the top of it's chest, she noticed it was hollow.

_Hollow.__ This was a hollow._

''You're... a hollow?'' she meekly asked in disbelief. But somehow she felt like she KNEW who this 'hollow' was.

The hollow began walking closer to her, it's sharp claws on it's bare feet scratching the sand with every step. Stopping in front of her, the hollow seemed to be examining the human before her. A small crack etched into it's match, but it still remained on it's face without crumbling off.

''O-R-I-H-I-M-E'' It slowely spoke in an eerie tone, trying to reassure itself of something.

Despite how close they were to each other, her terrified feeling vanished. Infact, she felt like the creature was in pain.

''That's... my name isn't it?'' She tilted her head, then a smile formed on her soft features.

''Do you have a name?'' Orihime asked, even though most people would assume it was strange behavior to smile and talk casually to such a creature.

The only response he gave was a calm growl, the blood intent in it's eyes faded away at her sight.

''Can you talk?'' her gray eyes blinked, wondering if Hollows had the ability to talk since he managed to speak her first name apparently. It frustrated her that her mind with clueless with no apparent memory except flashes of people she didn't begin to know, or so she thought.

''P-r-o-t-e-c-t'' It slowely spoke, then in between it's horns a penetration of red light begin forming. Just being near it, she could feel it's intense power emitting from the cero.

The hollow shot it behind her, and a piercing roar was heard when she turned her head to see what the hollow fired at. It had protected her from an approaching adjucha hollow that was planning on devouring her. Little did Orihime know that it was dangerous for an unarmed human to roam in the home of the hollows.

With a gasp, she couldn't help gawk at the hollow. Maybe this very being could help her recover her memory which was lost. Getting a good look at it, the creatures did _seem _familiar. She feels she should be afraid of it, yet she felt no need to be afraid.

''Could you show me-'' before she was able to finish her sentence, the hollow disappeared elsewhere using sonido. Unfortunately Orihime was clueless and didn't know if he disintergrated or not.

The disappearance startled her and she searched around in every direction but he was nowhere in sight.

''I guess I'm on my own again.'' She began walking to the palace way far out in the desert, ''Maybe I can find someone there who can help me.''

* * *

_-Back in Las Noches-_

A door creaked open to allow the person into the survelliance room where Aizen sat and observed whatever he pleased. With a grin sprawn across the silver haired man's pale features, Ichimaru walked and stood beside Aizen watching the survelliance screens. One screen in particular caught his interest.

''Well, would ya look at that.'' Gin spoke with much enthusiasm, ''It seems a princess has made herself welcome in Las Noches.''

A smirk appeared on Aizen's lips, ''So it seems.'' he stated, ''It also seems our experiment has made contact with her.''

''Hm, wouldn't that mean your plan would be more likely to fail? What if the hollowfication dissipates?'' Gin's grin resided for a moment to be replaced with a skeptical frown.

''Then it shall prove to be even more intriguing, but I doubt that woman has the power to bring him back to his sane self.'' Aizen leaned his face onto his right arm, continuing to observe the screens before him.

''It appears that the girl has lost her memory, from what I saw.''

''Which makes it even more less likely for her to have him return to his former self.''

''Wait, how will he even manage to be able to return to his former self?''

A frown formed on Aizen's lips, as if thinking it'd be a troubling matter if such an event occured. ''When he remembers his former feelings about everyone he cared about.''

Though, not a single doubt was on his mind since his experiment was a mindless, blood thirsty beast who only cared for what his next prey was going to be.

* * *

-Back In Hueco Mundo-

Hours have pasted and Orihime still couldn't manage to reach the faraway palace, no matter how much she walked it just remained there, never seeming to get closer. Falling to her knees, she couldn't help but release the tears that swelled up in her eyes. The tears dripped down her face and wet the sand below her. Her frail hands clenched the sand below their fingertips roughly, trying to release the frustration she has been holding in.

''...Why?'' She meekly asked herself before her eyes darkened and she passed out onto the sand.

* * *

_-Dream-_

_''Orihime, next time... I swear I won't let them hurt you.'' An image of a orange haired boy, around her age appeared. His words were sincere, she didn't know why but hearing them made her feel happy._

_''Orihime, are you alright?'' The same image appeared, and a look of concern in his hazel eyes glanced at her._

_''Orihime, please... just do it for me.''_

_''I-I couldn't protect you, I'm sorry.''_

_''Sorry, you're afraid of me in this form aren't you?''_

_''Orihime, I'm glad you're alright.'' A small smile of warmth appeared on the boy's face, soon his voice began fading._

_''In every single one of my lives, I would've fallen in love with the same person. Thank you Ichigo, goodbye.''_

* * *

Silver orbs suddenly widened open, wondering why she had such a strange dream about that boy. The same boy that flashed in her mind earlier.

''That dream... it seemed so realistic.'' Orihime began biting down on her bottem lip, concern began to rise. Suddenly, something instantly hit her and she couldn't help but gasp and quickly sit up.

''Wait, I've got it!'' then a huge grin finally formed on her face, brightening her features like a ray of sunshine in a dark and lonely savannah.


End file.
